The next day, he saw Jesus coming to him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 WEB
John the Baptist’s ministry prepared the way for the ministry of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. Before Jesus began preaching, the Jews sent priests and Levites to question John. They asked, “Who are you?” John responded, “I am not the Christ.” The priests continued to question him, wanting to know if he was Elijah or a prophet. John denied being either of these.
Instead, John referred to a prophecy from Isaiah 40:3 in revealing his identity. He indicated that he was preparing the way for someone greater than himself. The baptizer says in John 1:23, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as Isaiah the prophet said. WEB”
Forgiveness of Sin
The gospel of John relates these things before we get to the verse presented today. Twice after the priests questioned John, when Jesus came into John’s presence, he announced Jesus by calling him the “Lamb of God.” This is significant because it identifies the purpose of Jesus Christ in the lives of worldly sinners. John’s use of the term “Lamb of God” indicates that Jesus came to be a sacrifice for forgiveness of sin. Like lambs sacrificed for atonement in ancient times, Jesus is the final sacrifice of atonement for all sin.
John prepared the way for the “Lamb of God,” Jesus Christ. The significance of the word lamb is connected to the Passover celebration. At Passover, priests sacrificed a lamb in the holy temple. Otherwise, the sacrifice of a goat symbolized atonement for sin in the Old Testament. Significantly, goats were cast out of the camp when sacrificed. Similarly, Jesus’ crucifixion happened outside of the city walls.
Prayer: “Father God, thank you for forgiving my sin. Thank you for the Lamb of God, my Savior. Help me to be more like him every day. Give me strength and wisdom to do your will while on this earth. In Jesus’ name – Amen”
Yesterday’s Devotional: They Crucified Him There
